Scorn as Miliband woos middle class

ED Miliband faced ridicule last night after claiming his mission is to “rebuild our middle class”.

The Labour leader said his ­party was on the side of these “families who never dreamt life would be such a struggle”.

But Tory MPs pointed out that the tax burden on middle-income households soared under Labour – while pension saving was penalised and families were hit by rocketing university tuition fees.

One, MP Gavin Barwell, said: “In 2012 Ed Miliband was a ‘One Nation’ politician. Today he’s all for the middle class. But is anyone any wiser as to what his policies are?” Tory chairman Grant Shapps said: “Many people who work hard are facing tough times today because they have been made poorer by the worst recession in a century, a recession presided over by Ed Miliband and the Labour government.”

He added: “All he offers is more of the same old Labour policy that got us into a mess in the first place – more spending, more borrowing and more taxes.”

Mr Miliband’s attempt to court middle-income voters follows concern in Labour ranks that the party has been focused on the concerns of welfare claimants and the low-paid. His comments were also being seen as panic that ­Labour is failing to build an opinion poll lead in the run-up to next year’s General Election.

Its lead over the Tories narrowed in one survey from eightper cent last ­November to just three per cent this month.

ICM gave Labour a 35 per cent potential vote share, compared with 32 per cent for the Tories, 14 per cent for the Lib Dems and 10 per cent for Ukip.